Applicable to THIS cache [please read DESCRIPTION BELOW at least once for the Series].
BELLA was companion to my ANGUS for the 3.5 years of her short but very adventurous life. BELLA knew she was here for a short time and made the most of it with her antics and utter joy in living. Never forgotten. BELLA is at the base of a steel post at the Donaldson River bridge. There is a great camping spot here.
DESCRIPTION..... Applicable to all the Western Wilderness Westies series of geocaches:
1. Please bring your own pen, pencil, quill, marker or stamp. The only ones you will find in caches are swaps and won’t be there for long.
2. I will accept a message with cache details or a photo if you are unable to sign for any reason.
3. Any lefting and righting is from the aspect of travelling south from Smithton to Corinna.
4. Beware of blackberries. I’ve done my best to avoid them but carrying secateurs is not a bad idea.
5. There is hint for most caches and many have further hint infromation the Description. As this trip can be seen as a bit of a challenge [and once in a lifetime for some], I don’t want anyone to suffer DNFs.
6. Parking. Nearly all caches are hidden near an obvious parking spot. Those that are not, are placed where vision is clear both ways for at least 100m.
6. Driving to the conditions will ensure a very enjoyable and safe day.
7. Some will find the Western Explorer Highway [the dirt section from Roger River to Corinna] a challenge but it is definitely not 4wd only road.
8. Anyone needing or wanting to travel at 80-100kph might find this trip a nightmare.
9. It is difficult to keep logs dry in Tasmania, particularly on the west coast. All of Angus' caches are double containers and please replace all lids carefully. A few seconds of your time will ensure cache longevity.
I first travelled the Western Explorer Road in 1999 when the road and been made just four years earlier. Rather than go into detail you would do well to do some internet research about the area and The Tarkine to ensure you gain the full benefit of this drive. If this is your first time on this road, it may be due to the caches I have placed. If that’s the case I’m very pleased to have brought you to this experience. I hope you enjoy the area and the challenge.
The road - I often hear “it’s a terrible road”. Firstly, I never take note of these comments for any road. Judgement is very subjective and by the time you hear it, it has no doubt been embellished to nightmare proportion, or road conditions have changed. The Western Explorer Highway is a solid, sometimes stoney, highway. I've never known it to be boggy. It regularly deteriorates with potholes and less regularly graded. I have experienced very little corrugation on this road and the slower than average pace when potholoes are plentiful, is an easy price to pay for the rewards in traversing this 70k of the Tarkine Wilderness.
Drive to the conditions. If your psyche demands you travel at 90-100kph - then don’t come here. At 70kph it takes just one hour for this unsealed stretch. At 35kph it takes just two hours. Collecting the Western Wilderness Westie caches should give you at least another hour to enjoy this area between Roger River and Corinna.
The quicker way back north is via Savage River and Waratah - another fabulous drive [and some more Angus88 caches]. If travelling further south, you will go through Zeehan after boarding the barge at Corinna or sweeping around via Waratah and then Tulla and Roseberry. Taking the barge, though not cheap, is worthwhile for time, distance, fuel economy and simply the pleasure of experiencing it. There is a maximum weight and length for the barge. Measure between the front axle of your car and the last axle on whatever you are towing [or your vehicle if not towing]. If that is longer than 9m, you cannot use the barge. The weight limit is 6.5 tonne and minimum caravan ground clearance is .2m.
Camping. There are many suitable [free] camping spots en route. There is also very expensive camping at Corinna. From Corinna I choose to camp at a spot near the bridge over the Savage River, just 6k north of Corinna, at the base of Mt Donaldson where there is a hike with four extra caches [three of them belinging to Angus]. Reece Dam is another great [free] camp about 18k south of the Pieman River.
I hope you enjoy the Tarkine and the Western Wilderness Westie Series.